Location intelligence management system

• US 8,224,348 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2009
• Issued: 07/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TruePosition Incorporated
• Inventors: Bolon, Brian R., Bull, Jeffrey F., Ward, Matthew L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehrpour, Melody
• Application Number:
  US12/642,058
• Publication Number:
  US 20110151839A1
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561-4566, 455/422.1, 455/436, 455/424, 455/414.1, 455/466, 455/404.1, 709/217, 709/21, 709/97, 701/208, 701/221, 701/220, 701/214, 701/216, 342/357.25, 342/386
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications

Abstract

Collection and analysis of network transaction information which includes the mobile device'"'"'s usage, location, movements coupled with data from non-wireless network sources allow for the automation of analysis for the detection of anti-social behaviors.

Claims

1. A location information management system (LIMS), comprising:

a controller computer;

a historical database operatively coupled to the controller computer and configured to store network event historical data; and

a metadata database operatively coupled to the controller computer and configured to store metadata;

wherein the LIMS is configured to utilize past and current real time data from multiple sources, including a wireless network, a wireless location network, and off-line sources including network information, geographic information, manually entered information and geo-spatial data, to optimize utilization of wireless location resources across multiple users and entities to produce location-aware intelligence.

2. A LIMS as recited in claim 1, wherein the LIMS is further configured to analyze the past and current real time data obtained from multiple sources to produce intelligence in the form of metadata, and to store the metadata in the metadata database.

3. A LIMS as recited in claim 2, wherein the LIMS is further configured to iteratively use previously generated metadata to automatically contribute to new analysis that uses both real data as well as metadata, wherein said analysis produces information including:

identification of potential behaviors of interest, identification of specific mobile device users associated with said behaviors of interest, associations between mobile device users, and mobile device user identification.

4. A LIMS as recited in claim 3, wherein the LIMS manages location resource utilization based on a combination of factors including priority, accuracy, system capacity, geographic distribution of position determining entities (PDEs), terrain, man-made information, and network information.

5. A LIMS as recited in claim 4, wherein the LIMS is further configured to determine when a specific wireless location needs to be obtained, how accurate the specific wireless location needs to be, and where to best obtain it from given current conditions.

6. A LIMS as recited in claim 5, further comprising a decision support system (DSS) software application capable of automatically deciding when to require a high accuracy location versus a lower accuracy location.

7. A LIMS as recited in claim 6, wherein the DSS application uses rules, databased location, identity, and transactional information to determine a set of scenarios based on a prioritized set of situational data that determine metadata including relationships between users, mobile devices, locations of interest, and other mobile devices.

8. A LIMS as recited in claim 7, wherein the LIMS is further configured to use multidimensional histograms of activity and locations with dynamic conditional logic to determine association by proximity, and to use this information as a triggering event.

9. A LIMS as recited in claim 8, wherein the LIMS is further configured to use location as a proxy to identify users and relationships between users, groups and locations of interest.

10. A LIMS as recited in claim 9, wherein metadata analysis is used by the DDS application to compile an iterative risk profile for mobile devices.

11. A LIMS as recited in claim 10, wherein mobile devices with a high risk threshold are subjected to additional scrutiny.

12. A LIMS as recited in claim 11, wherein the historical database contains events from triggers, said events including mobile identifiers including IMSI, IMEI, MSISDN, and TMSI identifiers, event details including called number, calling number, and message type, and location information gleaned from wireless network parameters obtained from event reports.

13. A LIMS as recited in claim 12, wherein the LIMS is further configured to create complex triggers from a combination of real time flow of mass data into operating algorithms, network event historical data, metadata and user provided data.

14. A LIMS as recited in claim 13, wherein the LIMS is further configured to use a mobile device'"'"'s calling pattern and history for analysis, and to use non call-related information, including registrations and location updates, to recognize suspicious behavior and events.

15. A LIMS as recited in claim 14, wherein the historical database includes records on both messaging-related and wireless communications network control events including location updates, handovers, power up IMSI attaches, and power down de-registrations.

16. A LIMS as recited in claim 15, wherein trigger information and other data is processed by the DSS with a set of if-then-else rules combined with databased information on events, time-of-day, and geofence boundaries to create metadata, wherein the metadata allows the LIMS to perform analysis where the location of a mobile device is used as a proxy to identify purpose and relationships with other mobile device users.

17. A LIMS as recited in claim 16, wherein the historical database contains:

information on network event transactions that occur in a covered area for a set of mobile devices, including selected information for each event including all available known identifiers of the specific mobile device, including one or more of TMSI, IMSI, IMEI, and MSISDN;

event-related information including the event type, including handover, mobile originated call, SMS received, dialed digits, and timestamps;

event-related network information depending on network type; and

metadata for each specific event that includes a calculated location.

18. A LIMS as recited in claim 17, wherein the metadata database contains:

information input by users, including map information and network information including cell site locations, antenna information, and location results for specific algorithms that have run in the past; and

information that is produced as a result of processes or algorithms on the LIMS.

19. A method for use in operation of a location information management system (LIMS), comprising:

maintaining a historical database storing network event historical data;

maintaining a metadata database storing metadata;

utilizing past and current real time data from said historical database and said metadata database for scheduling and selection of wireless location resources across multiple users and entities; and

utilizing data from the following sources for scheduling and selection of wireless location resources;

a wireless network, a wireless location network, and off-line sources including network information, geographic information, manually entered information and geo-spatial data.

20. A method for use in operation of a location information management system (LIMS), comprising:

maintaining a historical database storing network event historical data;

maintaining a metadata database storing metadata;

utilizing past and current real time data from said historical database and said metadata database for scheduling and selection of wireless location resources across multiple users and entities; and

utilizing data from the following sources for scheduling and selection of wireless location resources;

a wireless network, a wireless location network, and off-line sources including network information, geographic information, manually entered information and geo-spatial data;

wherein the historical database contains events from triggers, said events including mobile identifiers including IMSI, IMEI, MSISDN, and TMSI identifiers, event details including called number, calling number, and message type, and location information gleaned from wireless network parameters obtained from event reports.

21. A method for use in operation of a location information management system (LIMS), comprising:

maintaining a historical database storing network event historical data;

maintaining a metadata database storing metadata;

utilizing past and current real time data from said historical database and said metadata database for scheduling and selection of wireless location resources across multiple users and entities; and

utilizing data from the following sources for scheduling and selection of wireless location resources;

a wireless network, a wireless location network, and off-line sources including network information, geographic information, manually entered information and geo-spatial data;

wherein the historical database includes records on both messaging-related and wireless communications network control events including location updates, handovers, power up IMSI attaches, and power down de-registrations.

22. A method for use in operation of a location information management system (LIMS), comprising:

maintaining a historical database storing network event historical data;

maintaining a metadata database storing metadata;

utilizing past and current real time data from said historical database and said metadata database for scheduling and selection of wireless location resources across multiple users and entities; and

utilizing data from the following sources for scheduling and selection of wireless location resources;

a wireless network, a wireless location network, and off-line sources including network information, geographic information, manually entered information and geo-spatial data;

wherein the historical database contains;

information on network event transactions that occur in a covered area for a set of mobile devices, including selected information for each event including all available known identifiers of the specific mobile device, including one or more of TMSI, IMSI, IMEI, and MSISDN;

event-related information including the event type, including handover, mobile originated call, SMS received, dialed digits, and timestamps;

event-related network information depending on network type; and

metadata for each specific event that includes a calculated location.

23. A method for use in operation of a location information management system (LIMS), comprising:

maintaining a historical database storing network event historical data;

maintaining a metadata database storing metadata;

utilizing past and current real time data from said historical database and said metadata database for scheduling and selection of wireless location resources across multiple users and entities; and

utilizing data from the following sources for scheduling and selection of wireless location resources;

a wireless network, a wireless location network, and off-line sources including network information, geographic information, manually entered information and geo-spatial data;

wherein the metadata database contains;

information input by users, including map information and network information including cell site locations, antenna information, and location results for specific algorithms that have run in the past; and

information that is produced as a result of processes or algorithms on the LIMS.

24. A method for use in operation of a location information management system (LIMS), comprising:

maintaining a historical database storing network event historical data;

maintaining a metadata database storing metadata;

utilizing past and current real time data from said historical database and said metadata database for scheduling and selection of wireless location resources across multiple users and entities;

utilizing data from the following sources for scheduling and selection of wireless location resources;

a wireless network, a wireless location network, and off-line sources including network information, geographic information, manually entered information and geo-spatial data; and

processing trigger information and other data with a set of if-then-else rules combined with databased information on events, time-of-day, and geofence boundaries to create metadata for use in analysis where the location of a mobile device is used as a proxy to identify purpose and relationships with other mobile device users.

25. A method for use in operation of a location information management system (LIMS), comprising:

maintaining a historical database storing network event historical data;

maintaining a metadata database storing metadata;

utilizing past and current real time data from said historical database and said metadata database for scheduling and selection of wireless location resources across multiple users and entities;

utilizing data from the following sources for scheduling and selection of wireless location resources;

a wireless network, a wireless location network, and off-line sources including network information, geographic information, manually entered information and geo-spatial data; and

using metadata to produce complex triggers for location processing.

26. A method as recited in claim 25, further comprising creating a complex trigger using network event information in the historical database in conjunction with real time network information, said complex trigger indicating when at least two mobile devices are co-located while moving around for a period of time, thus implying that the at least two mobile devices are traveling together.

27. A method as recited in claim 25, further comprising creating a complex trigger for the automatic detection of SIM swapping based on historical data as compared to the real time data coming from the network.